Bowling is both a fun way to spend time with friends and a serious competitive sport. Whether you want to know how to be a casual bowler or how to advance your bowling skills, you’ve come to the right place.

Method 1 of 4: Learning the Basics of Bowling

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Understand the bowling lane. Before you begin to bowl, you have to understand the function of the bowling lane. A bowling lane is 60 feet long from the foul line, the line closest to the bowler, to the head pin, the pin closest to the bowler. There are gutters on either side of the bowling lane. If a ball veers off the lane, it goes into the gutters and is out of play.

The approach area is 15 feet long and ends at the foul line. The bowler cannot overstep the foul line during his approach or his shot won’t count.

If a ball goes into the gutters and then bounces out and hits the pins, it won’t count.

Understand the bowling pins. Ten pins are arranged at the end of the bowling lane at the beginning of every frame. They are arranged in a triangle formation, with the point of the triangle facing the bowler. There is one pin in the first row, which is the head pin, two pins in the second row, three in the third, and four in the fourth.[1]

The locations of the pins are assigned numbers 1-10. The pins in the back row have the numbers 7-10, the pins in the row above the back row are numbered 4-6, the pins in the second row are numbered 2-3, and the head pin is pin 1.

All pins will earn the bowler one point if they are hit. The numbers are based on location, not value.

Learn the lingo. Before you can call yourself a true bowler, you should be aware of a few different bowling terms. Knowing these terms will also make it much easier for you to understand the rules. Here they are:

A strike is when you knock down all the pins with the ball on your first try.

A spare is when you knock down all the pins on your second try.

A split is when the first ball of a frame knocks down the headpin (the pin closest to you) but leaves two or more pins that are non-adjacent. It’s tough to hit a spare in this situation, especially if you have a 7-10 split, which is the hardest split to hit.

A turkey is three strikes in a row.

If any pins remain after the bowler’s turn, it’s called an “open frame.”

Understand how a game of bowling works. One bowling game consists of 10 frames. Each frame is equal to one turn for the bowler. The bowler’s objective is to knock down as many pins as possible in a frame, ideally all of them.

A bowler can roll the ball twice in each frame, provided that he does not hit a strike.

Learn the scoring. If a bowler has an open frame, then he simply gets credit for the number of pins he knocked down. If a bowler knocked down 6 pins after two turns, he simply gets two turns. However, if a bowler hits a spare or a strike, the rules get slightly more complicated.[2]

If a bowler hits a spare, then he should place a slash mark on his score sheet. After his next turn, he will receive 10 points plus the number of pins he knocks down with that turn. So if he knocks down 3 pins after his first turn, then he will get 13 points before his second turn. If he then knocks down 2 pins in his second turn, he gets a total of 15 points for that round.

If a bowler hits a strike, he should record an X on his scoresheet. The strike will earn the bowler ten points plus the number of pins knocked down on the player’s next two turns in the following round.

The most a bowler can score in one game is 300 points. This represents 12 strikes in a row, or 120 pins that were knocked down in 12 frames. A perfect game has 12 strikes and not ten, because if the bowler gets a strike on the last frame, then he can take two more turns. If those two turns are also strikes, he will have 300 points.

If a player rolls a spare in the last frame, then he can take one more turn.

Method 2 of 4: Preparing to Bowl

Find a bowling alley. Go online to find a local bowling alley that suits your needs. Try to find a place that offers bowling lessons or has beginner bowling leagues.

If you want to go bowling with friends, find a place that’s rated for having a fun environment and maybe some food and snacks as well.

Go to the bowling alley you’ve chosen. Talk to the fellow bowlers and staff, and see if you can even join a game. Alternately, you can go to an alley with a group of friends. If you ask a crowd if you can join their game, make sure it isn’t too competitive. You may even make new friends at the alley.

Get some bowling shoes. If you’re a beginner, you can just rent shoes at the alley. If you want to kick up your game, you can buy a pair of your own shoes. Street shoes won’t work for bowling because they’ll either make you stick to the floor instead of sliding naturally, or they’ll make you slip too much and injure yourself.

If you don’t wear bowling shoes, you can also damage or leave scuff marks on the alley floor. Rent a pair of shoes unless you want to get in trouble before you even start bowling.

Don’t forget to wear socks or bring socks to the alley. Some alleys sell socks, but they will be expensive.

Choose the right ball. Before you can begin to bowl, you need to find a ball that is the right weight for you and which is the right size for your fingers. The balls will be labeled based on their weight, so a ball with “8″ written on it will weigh 8 pounds. Here’s how to find a ball of the right size and weight:[3]

Weight. A 14-16 lb ball would work for most adult males, and a 10-14 lb ball would work for most adult females. Generally, it’s better to have a ball that is a little heavier because it will help you gain momentum. A general rule is that a ball should weigh 10% as much as your body, so if you weigh 140 pounds, you should bowl with a 14 lb ball.

Size of the thumb hole. Your thumb should fit snugly into the single thumb hole. You should be able to take it out of the hole without it snagging or getting stuck, but the hole shouldn’t be so large that you have to squeeze your thumb in the hole to hang on.

Size of the middle finger holes. Once you’ve inserted your thumb, you should lay your middle and ring finger across the other two holes. If the span is correct, your two fingers should easily and comfortably lay over the two holes so the middle joint lines up with the side of the hole closest to your thumb. Curl your two fingers into the holes to make sure they fit snugly in the hole like your thumb.

Find your bowling lane. Once you’ve signed up at the alley and put on your shoes, you will be directed to a bowling lane. If you get to choose your lane, pick a lane that is away from loud or noisy people. But it’s your choice: you may be able to bowl better if you’re surrounded by other bowlers.

Method 3 of 4: Starting Bowling

Hold the ball correctly. First, pick up your ball and head to the right spot in front of the bowling lane. Place your middle and ring finger in the top 2 holes and place your thumb into the bottom hole.

Hold the ball slightly to your side with your bowling hand underneath the ball and your other hand resting on the bottom side of the ball for extra support.

Keep your thumb on top of the ball at 10:00 position if you’re right-handed. Use the 2:00 position if you’re a lefty.

Your feet should be slightly apart and your “slide foot” should be placed slightly in front of the other foot. Your slide foot will be the opposite of the hand you use to bowl (a right handed bowler will slide with his left foot).

Work on aiming the ball. Your bowling lane should have a series of dots 7 feet down the lane, and black arrows about fifteen feet down the lane. If you’re a beginning bowler, you should aim to roll the ball in the center of these marks. Once you develop your bowling skills, you can aim to the left or the right of the marks when you hook the ball.

Even if you aim your ball through the center of the marks, you may not be able to hit the pins because the ball can slow down or roll off toward the gutters. Just notice where the ball rolls when you do and don’t bowl a solid frame and adjust your aim accordingly.

Focus on aiming at the marks, not the pins.

Release the ball. Maintain a straight forward, non-twisting approach of your body, as your ball and hand position should be held relatively the same — underneath and behind the ball during the swing. Swing your ball arm smoothly back and then forward to release the ball. Release the ball with your arm has moved as far forward as it can go.

When released properly, your thumb should come out first, followed by the fingers. This should help get rotation on the ball, which should help the ball hook and carry once it gets down the lane.

Keep your eye on the target you’re aiming towards as you release the ball. If you look down at your feet or the ball, you will lose balance and won’t be able to aim your ball correctly.

Wipe your hands after your turn is over. Make sure your hands are completely dry before you pick up the ball to start bowl each time. Use a cloth to wipe your hands, or at least wipe your hands on your pants if you don’t have one. If your hands are still sweatly, the ball can slip out of your hands.

You can also use rosin, which can be found in most pro bowling shops, to make your fingers and thumb slightly tacky and less slippery.

Keep score throughout the game. Most bowling alleys will have a computer near the sitting area that allows you to keep score. If an alley doesn’t have a computer, then you will be given a score sheet to record your scores. Either way, the process is the same. Here’s how to keep score:

The area in the upper left of each frame is to record the first ball, and the box to the left is for the second ball and if you have a strike. A strike is marked with a “X” and a spare with a “/”.

Remember that a strike is 10 plus the next two balls, whereas a spare is 10 plus the next ball. If you strike in the first ball in the 10th frame, you get two more balls to determine your final score. 300 is the highest score you can get.

Method 4 of 4: Improving Your Bowling Game

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Watch bowling on TV. Carefully observe the professionals and see what techniques they use. You can also watch video clips of expert bowlers online.

Try to imitate the bowler’s stances in your own home. Just remember that you’re watching experts, and that your bowling technique will be much simpler than theirs.

Ask for advice. If you want to really improve your game, seek out help from other, more advanced bowlers and from coaches. It will always help to have a critical eye watching you and you will gain new insight.

Join a bowling league. This is a great way to keep up a regular practice and to make new friends.

Tips

Bend your knees when you do your approach. This will help you get a straight ball or a little curvy.

Keep your eye on your target as you are about to bowl.

Follow-through is important… for example, if you finish your swing with your hand turned like you are going to give a handshake, it will hook the ball.

Ideally, you want the ball to hook into the pocket (1-3 for right handers) to get the best carry for strike, and straighter is usually better for spares, especially single pin.

A ball that is drilled for you by a professional experienced driller will help you not strain yourself trying to hold onto the ball, as well as getting a clean release-which is key to consistently scoring well.

Warnings

Don’t swing your shoulder too far back or it may get hurt.

.Continue your swing through after releasing the ball to help in preventing injury.

Strikes are hard things to do in bowling. This article will show you how to improve your force, direction, and balance

Steps

Start with the right foot (if you’re right handed, and opposite for left.) Starting with the wrong foot can not only affect how your ball hits the pins, but can also throw you off balance.

Calm yourself – take 3 deep breaths. Step to the approach and pick up your ball.

When you take your steps forward, try to keep your shoulders parallel with the foul line. Twisting your torso side to side will cause inaccuracy.

As you swing the ball back and then forward, do so in a straight line, perpendicular to the foul line (like the pendulum on a clock). Do not swing the ball around your body or throw it ‘side arm’.

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Make sure that you stop your foot just behind the foul line because if you don’t you can get a foul which means even if you get a strike you earn no points, so beware.

Usually there are arrows on the lane so aim in between the second and third arrow from the right (if you’re right handed,) or the left (if you’re left handed,) making sure you don’t throw the ball too hard because this can catch you off guard. This might not always work so don’t worry too much if you miss. Practice should last approx. 1-3 months.

As you get more confident, throw the ball over the other arrows. Watch how the ball reacts, and where it hits the pins down the lane. You will see how the different arrows (marks) change where your ball goes. You can then “tweek” where you aim, to better hit the pins, and find your “pocket.” Eventually, you can even refine which specific board (around the arrows) to roll your ball over, to get it to hit exactly where you want.

When you release the ball, try to bring your arm straight up in front of you, as if you’re going to ‘shake hands with the head pin.‘

Tips

If you typically leave the 5 pin (behind the head pin) you need to hit more on the head pin.

If you want to, hit just on either side of the head pin.

If you get more serious or join a league, you will likely get your own equipment.

A good attitude leans toward a better score.

Remember – practise makes perfect and keep persevering.

If you don’t get it, keep your concentration and try again.

Watch the alley on either side. Wait for adjacent bowlers to throw before you take your turn.

Make sure you have the heaviest ball that you can comfortably handle.

If you typically leave pins on the side, you are hitting too much on the head pin.

Warnings

A ball the wrong weight will be too soft/tough for you.

Make sure you don’t hit your leg with the ball when you’re about to throw.

If you get angry because you missed the strike, you’re never going to get a good amount of pins on the next throw.

Have you ever been at a bowling alley and watched a great bowler and said to yourself, “Man I wish I could bowl like that?” If you did, you’re not alone! You need to be truly interested in bowling to be really good at it. It takes time and practice but if you master these steps you’ll be on the way to getting your best game ever! How to know if you’re truly interested is seeing someone really good and start focusing on them and copying their habits. Don’t do that and follow these steps to create your own way of bowling and being great at it!

Steps

Make sure you have a good bowling ball. Something that is not too heavy or too light, just right is the way to go. It’s always best to get a ball of your own instead of borrowing it or renting it. This way you get used to the ball and learn what it does to your advantage.

Get good bowling shoes. Your bowling shoes are just like regular shoes. They need to be taken care of and it’s always best if they’re your own. That way your foot gets used to it and works better instead of hurting you. Get a half size bigger than your regular shoe size. Sounds strange, but it’s true.

Focus. It’s nice to invite your friends to go bowling with you but talk less and pay attention to the game.

Learn your stance. This step will develop during time. You need to know how and where you throw the ball to develop this skill. The stance is very important. Here you will get in your comfort zone some have different ways of starting but make sure you find a stance that is natural for you. If it’s wrong someone will point it out for you.

Find your mark on the lane. There are seven arrows on the lane. Do not aim for the middle. If you do then you will get a split that is really hard to pick. If you’re right handed then aim for the arrow to the right. If you are left handed aim for the arrow to the left.

Release the ball. When releasing the ball release it in front of you not behind you. You may hit yourself if the ball is behind you. Make sure you have a good back swing and a good release point. Again this skill takes time to master. But it will come if you stick to it.

Look at the arrows upon release. Don’t look at the pins or you will get distracted and throw off key. Watch where you release and watch the ball go over your mark. It won’t always do that and you have to learn from your mistake. Have a follow through. When you release the ball make sure your arm goes up or you may hurt your arm permanently in the future. I hope this will help you bowl better.

When bowling, you should hook it during your first ball to get more strikes. To hook a bowling ball, it can be hard at first, but it will come. When you release the ball, turn your wrist to the left(considering you are a righty, if not, turn wrist to the right.)but make sure that your arm still stays straight.(think of your arm swing as a pendulum clock going back and forth.)To get a better hook, it is recommended to follow through.Even though you should be doing that on every shot.=) During the second ball, just throw a straight ball and don’t twist your wrist.

Alternate Instructions

Choose the right bowling shoe size for you- usually a 1/2 inch bigger than your regular shoes.

Choose a bowling ball that’s the right weight and the right size for your fingers.

Use the dots as a guideline. Put your left foot on the center dot and your right foot should be behind your left foot.

Point your feet at the pins you’re aiming for.

Keep your body straight and bend your knees.

Use the rule of thumb which is where your thumb is pointing, that’s where the ball will go.

Always stay on the center dot with your left foot for the strike ball.

For the spare ball, look at the arrows. If the pin is lined up with the dot to the right of the center dot, move one dot left. Always move in the opposite direction. Also, count the dots to decide how many dots to move over on the other side.

Tips

By joining a bowling league, you can save money because they usually bowl 3 games, have practice, and coaches to assist you. The leagues are usually weekly and cost about as much as 1 or 2 games.

Before playing, make sure you are calm. Stress can make it very hard to focus on the game.

Twisting your wrist can cause permanent damage when bowling. If you want to hook a bowling ball then simply release the ball thumb first and lift with your finger tips. This will assure a hook and will not do any damage to your wrist.

On the second ball, throw a straight ball because if you spin it too much you’d miss the pin and might not get anything.

You should buy your own equipment like a bowling ball and shoes. The pro shop can fit the ball for you which will improve your score. In some bowling alleys, they might have leagues that would give you your own bowling ball for FREE by joining their league.

This will take time and commitment. Don’t expect wonderful things to happen to you overnight.

Don’t use a heavy ball until you are comfortable. You may slip on your back swing and injure someone! After you get used to the movements then get a heavier ball.

Don’t overthrow or you may hurt yourself. Your arm will get used to throwing so just deal with the toughness.

How to Hook a Bowling Ball Are you a beginner looking to take that next step and improve your bowling game? Here’s how to throw a mean hook shot with a tenpin bowling ball.

Steps

Get the right equipment. No matter what you do, if the bowling ball can’t catch any friction on the lanes, it’s not going to hook. Generally, you need a ball made of Reactive Resin or better (e.g. Particle load or newer epoxy resin coverstocks) for anything but the driest of lanes. These are very easy to find and can be bought at relatively little expense. Though most bowling centers do offer “house balls,” they are generally plastic (polyester) and won’t hook very much, though they are good for most spares since they will travel very straight. Having your own plastic ball for spares (spare ball), and a resin ball for strikes and some spares (spare ball) is a good idea for any level of bowler as house balls don’t usually fit your hand perfectly and won’t carry pins very well.

Have your ball(s) drilled correctly. This is a personal thing depending on how and where you bowl, so you will need to talk to your local pro-shop operator for advice on this one. The drilling for the ball is very important, if not crucial, so make sure the drilling is appropriate for the conditions you bowl on and your own physical limitations. Obviously, it is critical that your own ball is fitted to your hand, but if you purchase a ball, the pro shop operator will do this as part of the cost of the drilling.

3 Use the proper grip. Grip the ball with the two middle fingers (the middle and ring fingers) of your dominant hand (i.e. The hand you write with), and place your thumb the whole way into the thumb hole. There are 2 main types of grips: conventional, where the middle and ring fingers are inserted up to the second knuckle; and the fingertip grip, where the same fingers are inserted only up to the first knuckle. Finger-tip grips will give you more revs than a conventional grip. A new thing out these days in the bowling community are Vacu-Grips. These grips will expand and contract to your finger width. This helps if you are going to bowl a lot. You will find that most of the pros use a finger tip grip, as it allows you to get your thumb out of the ball first allowing you to “lift” with your fingers creating revs on the ball. In addition, there is the Sarge Easter grip. This grip is uncommon and much more advanced. It is designed to help power players control their shot by increasing axis tilt, which helps delay the hook of the ball. Also, tucking your pinky finger and changing your index and pinky finger positions are more advanced techniques that slightly alter the release but are not a good idea for beginners.

4 Visualize the line you’ll take across the lane. Depending on the lanes you bowl on, this will vary greatly, but let’s focus on a typical house condition. Most of the oil is on the inside, leaving roughly 8-10 boards of relatively dry lane to be used. These boards can be both a friend and enemy to you. Depending on the amount of oil and the way your ball reacts to different lane conditions, you will want to line up your feet slightly to the left hand side of the lane. Starting with your right foot on the middle dot on the approach is a good way to test how much the lanes are hooking. It is important to keep your feet closely together. Stand with your heels several inches from the foul line and take the amount of steps in your approach away from the lane to determine your starting position. If you have a 4 step approach take 4 steps, etc. You then want to aim to throw your ball at one of the arrows on the lane. The easiest way to teach aiming is to use the arrow markings or the dots that are just before the arrows on the lane. For this tutorial, you should start off aiming somewhere around the second arrow on the right, allowing the ball to roll over this arrow, move out to only a few boards from the gutter, and then hook from the dry spot of the lane (about 38 to 40 feet down on a house shot) all the way back to the 1-3 pocket (for a left hander, this would be the 2nd arrow on the left, and the ball would hook to the 1-2 pocket). 5 Make the swing. A 4 step approach is recommended, though you can use as little as 1 step and as many as 8 (though most steps over 4 are basically just timing steps where your ball doesn’t move). For a 4 step approach, you want to push off the ball on your first step, stepping with your right foot first for right-handed players; have the ball be parallel to your ankle at the 2nd step, and start to bend at your knees; be at the top of your back swing by your third step; and then bring the ball back through and release by the end of your slide. With 5 steps, it’s basically the same thing, only you’ll start with your left foot instead, and the ball won’t move for that first step. Keep in mind that you want your arm to remain completely straight the entire way through your swing; having your arm tucked too far behind you or held too far away from your body will cause a bad angle when you release the ball. It’s easiest to keep your arm straight if you adjust your push away. There are many different styles such as bending at the waist (a la Walter Ray Williams Jr. or Wes Malott) or opening your shoulders (a la Tommy Jones or Chris Barnes) when you bring your arm up for the backswing, but sticking to the basics is a good idea when first learning how to do this. Remember, you want the ball to hook when it gets to the dry area at the back of the lane, but until it gets there, the ball should be traveling a relatively straight path, varying only a few boards at most. Again, everyone has a different style, and you can adjust this as you feel comfortable.

6 Time your release. As you begin to drop the ball out of the backswing, make sure that your palm is directly underneath the ball, facing upwards. Now, as the ball starts to approach your ankle, you want to rotate the ball so that when you release your hand, it is on the side of the ball and slightly under it, just as if you were holding a football to throw an underhand spiral. Then follow through as though you were going to be shaking hands with the pins. A good way to practice this technique is to actually throw an underhand spiral with a football; similar physics are involved.

7 Follow through. Just as important as the release itself is following through with your arm after you let go of the ball. After release it is important to follow through outward onto the lane, not upward. Your fingers will create the upward lift without you having to lift upward on the ball. An easy way to remember this is the old ESPN advert: “Roll the ball, then answer the phone.” Though, hopefully you have better form than the guy in that commercial. And remember, fluidity here is essential: don’t do the hand-shake, pause slightly, and then do the follow through — it must all be one smooth motion. A good follow through is crucial to maintaining consistent ball speed and accuracy.

8 Make the necessary adjustments. Once you are comfortable with your release, and can execute it properly on a consistent basis, you can learn to adjust your footwork in tandem with your release. On a house pattern, you want to move the direction you are missing: For a right hander, if your ball hits high (to the left of the headpin), then try moving your feet a couple of boards to the left and keeping your target on the lane the same as before. If you hit the pocket light (to the right of the 3 pin), try moving your feet a couple of boards to the right and keep your target the same. It is important to move your target on the lane when you move your feet. Otherwise you may end up playing very weird angles. Once you become more advanced and start playing on more challenging sport lane conditions, the left and right moves become more complicated and sometimes speed and hand adjustments are required.

This takes some practice and adjusting, so don’t give up on it if you don’t get it right away. You should consider getting a coach to help you, and see what works best for you. Try not to twist your wrist as you release. This will make the ball deflect off the pocket, resulting in a five pin or a nasty split. Keep your hand under the ball and lift with the fingertips. While big hooks generate more power, it is important to note that, generally, the bigger the hook is, the more difficult it will be for a beginner to control. Find a happy medium that you feel comfortable with and doesn’t compromise your balance. Then you can fine tune your shot to add hook or cut back on it, depending on lane conditions. When you swing the ball, it is important not to force the swing. It should be a pendulum-like action, allowing gravity to dictate the swing. Should you need more or less ball speed, hold the ball higher or lower before push-off (higher for faster, lower for slower). Trust your ball; there is no need to force it down the lane. Keep the ball close to your ankle at release. Hooking the ball is all about creating leverage. The closer the ball is to your ankle at release, the more your fingers can be under the ball. As your hand rotates around the ball, your fingers “catch” the holes and provide upward force, thus creating spin and revolutions. It can help you a great deal to simply watch and learn from some more experienced bowlers, like the pros on the PBA, or even some of the more talented bowlers you might see at your local bowling center. More often than not, they will be willing to give you some friendly advice if you show some interest in their skill. If your ball has too much speed, it will be harder for it to catch at the dry section of the lane, resulting in a smaller (or no) hook. If your ball doesn’t have enough speed, it can hook early, causing you to hit high. Warnings

Lane conditions can dictate how much hook potential you have. If you are not making it to the pocket or crossing over onto the Brooklyn side, it may be the lane conditions, therefore don’t try to crank the heck out of the ball at first, learn to adjust. It is after all the most important thing in bowling! This release is prone to injury if done incorrectly, so again be very careful and try not to over-throw it. As in golf, less is more. It’s more about swing mechanics than raw power here. If you “crank” too much it can result in serious wrist, elbow, or shoulder injury. *As with most sports, no manual can replace a good coach. Be very careful when first trying this. If you can, use a lighter weight ball than you’re used to at first, just to get the feel for the release. It is also a good idea to have a more experienced bowler or coach watch you while you do it.

A resin bowling ball with a moderate hook rating that is good for the entry level bowler. Once you have learned to hook it, a more aggressive ball may be appropriate.

A towel, preferably a micro-fiber towel to wipe off oil between shots. Resin bowling balls absorb oil on every shot. Wiping them often and using oil removing cleaner between series will help maintain their longevity. Otherwise they will lose some of their hook and consistency after a few hundred games.

If you are having trouble keeping your wrist straight you may also need a wrist brace to prevent injury and keep your wrist straight. Wrist braces help create more consistency as they limit your wrist’s range of motion. Consult your pro shop to see what size and style will be best for you.

Bowling shoes. Having your own shoes is important to the consistency of your slide as well as balance and timing.

A coach. It is important, especially for beginners, to have a coach. Practicing without one can sometimes lead to the development of bad habits. A few lessons are a good idea for someone just learning to bowl. Coaches are like a human manual that can help you forget your bad habits and maintain good ones.